Thye gets two in season opener, Hetrick gets inaugural 305 sprint win
by Dana Royer/34 Raceway

BURLINGTON, IA (April  21) - After two weather related cancellations to open up the 2007 season at 34 Raceway new owners Jeff and Amy Laue were glad to finally get a race in under their belts. The Laue¹s were pleased with the turnout of both fans and cars on their first night. Over 90 cars competed in the first points races of the year for four of the five classes of action. Competing were the Zaiser Fabrication 306 Sprint Cars, Miller Lite Modifieds, IMCA Stock Cars and the Pepsi Hobby Stocks. J & J Steel Ideal Ready Mix IMCA Late Models also took to the track but with no points awarded. When the nights racing was completed winners included Tom Darbyshire (late models), Darin Thye (modifieds and stock cars), John Oliver, Jr., (hobby stocks) and Brian Hetrick (305 sprints).

Following heat race action the Miller Lite Modifieds took to the track for the first feature of the night. Twenty one cars set the field with Adam Carson and Taylor Cale on the front row. Cale took the early lead with Bill Roberts moving up from his fourth row start by lap five. Roberts took the second lead of the twenty lap race by lap six. Also moving up through the field was Darin Thye. Thye, using the high grove, caught Roberts by lap twelve. The two would race side by side for the next couple laps before Thye would be able to get past Roberts for the lead with five laps to go. Thye would then go on to take the checkered flag by several car lengths for the win. Roberts would finish second and Cale took third.

The new Zaiser Fabrication 305 Sprint Cars would take to the track next with Gary Bonar and Jaime Needham setting the pace. The start of the race would be stopped when the red flag came out for Jayson Ditsworth and Donnie Steward on the first lap. Steward collided with a sideways Ditsworth sending him in a roll and stopping the action. Both drivers were okay and when racing resumed Bonar would take the early lead. After starting in the rear of the of the field, Brian Hetrick, driving for Randy Plath, would take the number one spot by lap four. Hetrick would then increase his lead over the field and take the checkered flag. Ditsworth was able to race back to finish second and third went to Bonar.

A strong field of twenty one IMCA Stock Cars were next on the feature line up with Tim Breuer and Darin Thye on the front row. When the green flag dropped, Brandon Rothzen would jump from his second row start to take the early lead followed by Jeff Mueller and Thye. A tight race for the top three spots would go on for the the next ten laps. On lap ten Thye would pull up along side of Rothzen as they raced side by side for the next two laps. Using the high groove as he did in the modified feature, Thye would finally be able to get past Rothzen for the lead on lap twelve of the fifteen lap race. Thye would go on to take the checkered flag with room to spare while Ryan Cook would make a move around Rothzen to finish second with one lap to go.

Also topping the twenty or more car count would be the Pepsi Hobby Stocks with twenty three cars starting the feature race. The first seven laps would show Doug Fenton and John Oliver, Jr. battling for the lead followed closely by Luke McLaughlin. On lap six of the fifteen lap race, Oliver was able to get by Fenton for the lead. But his work wasn¹t over yet with McLaughlin tight on his tale. A four way race for the lead in a green, white, checkered finish in a time shortened race would keep the fans on the edge of their seats. Oliver would hold on to take the checkered followed by McLaughlin and Fenton. Following post race inspection, two cars were disqualified, Fenton (#7) and Dan Wenig (#c21).

The final feature of the night saw the J & J Steel/Ideal Ready Mix IMCA Late Models hit the track. Matt Strassheim would take the early lead followed by Gary Russell, but the night belonged to Tom Darbyshire. Darbyshire would take the lead on lap six of the twenty five lap race and pulled away from the field. When the checkered flag flew, Darbyshire would hold a nearly straight-away lead over Russell who finished second. With no points being awarded, a smaller than normal field of cars entered the nights races with several racers competing in a Deery Brothers Summer Series race. Fans can excpect to see a full field of late models this week as they compete for their first points of the season on Electric Rays Tanning Night.

Coming Up
Coming up this week at 34 Raceway on Saturday, April 28 will be Electric Rayz Tanning Night. The night will feature and autograph session with the drivers in the grandstands from 5:45 -6:30; 1/2 price 34 Raceway T-shirts and FREE tanning certificates to the first 500 fans through the grandstand gates. Mark your calendars for May 15 for the rescheduled Deery Brothers IMCA Summer Series for late models at 34 Raceway.

Contingency Sponsors
New this year to 34 Raceway will be contingency sponsors each week. This weeks sponsors were: Late Model - 5th place-Joey Gower (Shottenkirk Parts Express $25 bonus bucks); 305 Sprint Cars - 8th place (Jay Metcalf $25 bonus bucks); Modifieds - 5th place - Dean McGee (Shottenkirk Parts Express $25 bonus bucks); Stock Cars - 5th place-Jeff Mueller (Snap-On Tools - Gary Williams $25 bonus bucks); Hobby Stocks - 5th place-Chuck Underwood (Snap-On Tools - Gary Williams $25 Gift Certificate

34 RACEWAY Race Results for 4/21/2007

J & J Steel/Ideal Ready Mix
IMCA Late Models
FEATURE: 1. Tom Darbyshire, Morning Sun, 2. Gary Russell, Biggsville, Il., 3. Lonnie Bailey, Quincy, Il., 4. Matt Strassheim, Burlington, 5. Joey Gower, Quincy, Il., 6. Johnny Johnson, Burlington, 7. Matt Bailey, Quincy, Il., 8. Tom Goble, Burlington, 9. Leroy Brenner, Aledo, Il., 10. Cory Richards, Burlington, 11. Keith Pratt, Mendon, Il., 12. Ron Elbe, Augusta, Il., 13. Darin Weisinger, Mendon, Il. HEAT WINNERS: Darbyshire, Brenner,

Miller Lite IMCA Modifieds
Feature : 1. Darin Thye, Burlington, 2. Bill Roberts, Jr., Burlington, 3. Tayler Cale, Donnellson, 4. Rich Smith, Davenport, 5. Dean McGee, Galesburg, Il., 6. Andy Kreiger, West Burlington, 7. Todd Holman, Ottumwa, 8. Mitch Higdon, Wever, 9. Scott Boles, New London, 10. Phillip Cossel, Montrose, 11. Brad Carson, Colchester, Il., 12. Brad Carson, Colchester, Il., 12. Brandon Savage, Keokuk, 13. Bill Parks, Colchester, Il., 14. Mike Weikert, Jr., Muscatine, 15. Kyle Kaestner, Burlington, 15. Adam Carson, Colchester, Il.,
17. Jim Redmann, Lockridge, 18. Chris Larson, Keokuk, 19. Dave Anderson,
Burlington, 21. Sean Wyett, Danville, 2. Otto ³Rock² Christofferson, Niota, Il. HEAT WINNERS: T. Cale, B. Carson, B. Roberts.

ZAISER FABRICATION 305 Sprints
FEATURE: 1. Brian Hetrick , Gladstone, Il., 2. Jayson Ditsworth, Gladstone, Il., 3. Gary Bonar, Burlington, 4. Justin Newberry, West Burlington, 5. Mark Widmar, Ottumwa, 6. Kevin Hetrick, Gladstone, Il., 7. Jamie Needham, Moline, Il., 8. Donnie Steward, West Burlington, 9. Dustin Whiting, Burlington. HEAT
WINNERS: J. Ditsworth, B. Hetrick.

IMCA STOCK CAR
FEATURE: 1. Darin Thye, Burlington, 2. Ryan Cook, Mt. Pleasant, 3. Brandon Rothzen, Media, Il., 4. Jason Cook, Mt. Pleasant, 5. Jeff Mueller, New London, 6. Todd Holsteen Burlington, 7. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 8. Shawn Whiting, West Burlington, 9. Tim Breuer, Burlington, 10. Rod Staats, Columbus Jct., 11. Chris Webb, Biggsville, Il., 12. Kirk Kinsley, Wapello, 13. Derek Goble, Burlington, 14. Derek Coleman, New London, 15. Ryan Jamison, Mediapolis, 16. Randy Wachter, Burlington, 17. Shane Watts, Burlington, 18. Nick Fenton, Mt. Pleasant, 19. Patrick Mincer, Columbus Jct., 20. Cole Simmons, Morning Sun, 21. Greg Johnson, Burlington. HEAT
WINNERS: R. Cook, Thye, Kinsley.

PEPSI HOBBY STOCKS
FEATURE: 1. John Oliver, Jr., Danville, 2. Luke McLaughlin, Mediapolis, 3. Tanner Thomann, West Burlington, 4. Brian Holmes, Wapello, 5. Chuck Underwood, Burlington, 6. Tony Witte, Danville, 7. Russell Passmore, Burlington, 8. Blaine Dopler, Wapello, 9. Chad Krogmeier, Burlington, 10. Mike Bolander, Burlington, 11. Joe Laue, Wapello, 12. John Oliver, West Burlington, 13. Jake Wenig, Burlington, 14. Alex Buffington, Wapello, 15. Brodie Dopler, Wapello, 16. Sky Griffith, Mediapolis, 17. Chase Klenk, New London, 18. Ray Raker, Danville, 19. Rich Uppinghouse, Hannibal, Mo., 20. Cale Samberg, Burlington, 21. Jason Gerdes, Lomax, Il. HEAT WINNERS:. D. Fenton, Oliver, Oliver, Jr.